Dear @SesameWorkshop

Dear @SesameWorkshop

I grew up watching Sesame Street. I learned the alphabet from it. I’m British, but throughout most of my childhood I pronounced the letter Z the American way, ‘zee’, as I learned from Sesame Street, rather than the British ‘zed’, despite by parents’ best efforts to make me sound British. Sesame Street teaches children things. It influences their language and thoughts. This has the potential to do so much good.

Autism Speaks does not speak for Autistic people. They are a charity, but this does not mean they do good. Their message is that Autistic people are tragic burdens, missing children, an epidemic. Is this the message you want to teach to children? Autistic people are present, whole, complete people, a natural part of human diversity, as valuable as those who are not Autistic; but Autistic people are in desperate need of support and acceptance, neither of which they get from Autism Speaks. The message of Autism Speaks harms Autistic people because it affects how people think about them, and this determines how they are treated by society. If you partner with Autism Speaks you will spread their message to Autistic children’s peers, their future teachers, employers and family members, as well as to Autistic children themselves, damaging their self esteem.

Please help Autistic people by rejecting Autism Speaks and their message of hatred.

Thank you for reading this,

Clare

@SesameWorkshop: You Have So Much Power; Please, Use It Wisely.

I understand that your executive decisions on corporate sponsorship are not going to be easily influenced by a few well-written blog posts or a few nicely-edited images. I understand that fame begets fame and that there are many practical advantages for an organization to partner with another well-established organization.

But all of this understanding and practicality means little when I look into the eyes of my 16 month old niece. 

She hits all of the developmental checkmarks, some of them well in advance. She makes great eye-contact and speaks a few words...in two languages, no less. She smiles, laughs, plays, and drives her poor mother crazy with her agility, speed, and curiosity.

But I assure you that she wouldn't be an ounce less loved, an ounce less adored, celebrated, and even spoiled, if this were not the case. I would tell her this in a heartbeat. Her mother would tell her this in a heartbeat, as would her father, her grandparents, and most everyone else who knows her.

You would tell her this, too, wouldn't you? I would like to believe that you would tell every child out there that their being loved, respected, and accepted isn't contingent on their ability to do what the textbooks say they should be doing or to not do what the textbooks say they should not be doing. You would tell them this, right?

Autism Speaks wouldn't, at least not as the organization is presently run. Much of the advertising and information put out by Autism Speaks is a message of one's worth, one's acceptability, being largely based on how one measures up to the checklists set out by doctors, that one should not exist unless one is "healthy" and "normal." The proof is everywhere, as many of these heartfelt pleas have already mentioned (but, for your easy access: 

http://www.autismspeaks.org/news/news-item/autism-speaks-washington-call-action, in which autistic children and their families are implied to be "not really living"; also, see http://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/issue-14-asd-options-living-independently/#.U7XmWvldUnV).

I do not want my niece to grow up in a world where messages like this, messages of fear and hatred, are shoved in her face, especially not by her colorful, happy, singing friends at Sesame Street.

I want her to grow up up in a world where she knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that she is still worthy, still loved, still so incredibly precious to this world regardless of what challenges she faces or what flaws she may have.  

I want her to grow up in a world where autistic aunts don't have to worry that their nieces will be treated with less love and respect than they deserve if the child grows up to be "like them."

And you, my friends at Sesame Street, can help us to create this world. You have already done a pretty good job at this by creating a community of characters that love and accept each other in spite of--no, because of--their differences. You can further this message by partnering with organizations that preach the same celebration of diversity.

Autism Speaks is not that organization.

Thank you for your time. 

From a kid to @SesameWorkshop

 Dear Sesame Street,

I am a 12 year old girl. I'm not autistic, but there are many people who are autistic in my family. When I came to America as a little kid I didn't speak any English. But I watched your show, and I learned a lot. I love Sesame Street and it helped me to be ready for school.  I don't watch it anymore because I'm too old and it's boring to me now.  But my brothers and sisters still love Sesame Street, especially the younger ones.

They are autistic, and they don't like a lot of shows sometimes. They like to watch the same shows a lot over and over and don't always like to watch new stuff.  But your show is different and they like it. Sometimes when it comes on they jump up and down and start flapping their hands.

I used to think Autism Speaks was good, but then my brothers and I saw their terrible videos on YouTube. It made my brother cry so hard.  It isn't cool that Autism Speaks thinks autistic people are a problem. My brother and sister are not a problem. They sometimes get on my nerves, but not because they're autistic. It's because little kids can be annoying.

I don't care about them being autistic because I love them. That's just how they are. I don't think it's weird to be autistic, but a lot of people do think it's weird because they don't know a lot about autism. And what they do know is bad.

Kids and grown ups are always like, "Oh, I'm so sorry they have autism. I bet that's really hard."  They think it's something bad. If this is how they think now, it will be even worse when they start listening to what Autism Speaks says.  Please find somebody else to work with about autism stuff.  I don't want even more kids thinking something is wrong with my brother and sister. They're autistic. Not terrorists.